Cone subassembly for concrete form ties



p 9, 1969 H. s. GATES 3,465,999

' CONE SUBASSEMBLY FOR CONCRETE FORM TIES Filed April 17, 1967 FIG. 5

I N TOR. HARRIS GOR GATES United States Patent US. Cl. 249-210 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The instant application is specifically directed to a plastic cone subassembly for use on the shank of a rodtype gang form tie that has a metal washer sealed in a socket provided for the purpose on the rear end of the cone and a jam-nut recessed in a second socket on the front end thereof together with the method of assembling the cone elements and mounting them upon the tie.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending US. application Ser. No. 560,302 filed June 24, 1966, and entitled Concrete Form Tie Assembly and Plug Therefor.

In my copending application referred to above, I disclose a plastic cone and metal washer subassembly for use on the shank of loop-ended rod-type concrete form ties which are designed to maintain a pair of pouring form walls in fixed-spaced relation while wet concrete is poured therebetween. The cones of my earlier application, however, are of larger diameter than the loop-receiving openings in the form panels that they serve to plug; therefore, this type of plug is limited for use in forming applications where one form wall is erected first and the ties are passed through the so-called tie slots in the standing form wall before the other form wall is raised into position. Thus, the form walls themselves press against the outside of the conical plugs and push them back against the flattened stops on the shank of the tie. Also, while a metal washer is countersunk into a socket in the inner end of the plug, it remains loose therein and is not sealed in place. No provision is made for limiting the axial movement of the plug along the shank away from the stop because, as aforesaid, the form panels perform this function once they are in place. Accordingly, the conical plug subassembly of my earlier application is totally unsuitably for use in gang forming techniques where both form walls are erected first and the form ties with the cone subassemblies already in place thereon are passed through the tie slots from the outside of one of the form walls. It is for the latter application that the present cone subassembly and method of mounting same was specifically developed.

By reason of the fact that the form Walls are erected before the ties are passed therethrough, it is essential that the loop, button or other securing means on both ends of the tie, together with the plug or cone subassembly adjacent thereto, be sized to pass through both of the longitudinally-aligned tie slots. Also, while the metal washers that abut the form tie stops prevent the plugs from moving toward one another along the tie shank, nothing is present in the prior art gang forming plugs that will prevent them from moving apart and backing out through the tie slots they are supposed to plug.

It has also been found in connection with my previous washer-stopped conical plugs, including those in which the washer is recessed in the end of the plug, that the only practical method of assembly is to place the washer on Patented Sept. 9, 1969 the shank of the tie first and then add the plug just prior to forming the loop. These separate operations are not conducive to rapid and inexpensive assembly techniques, especially automatic ones, without unecessarily complicating the production equipment although, admittedly, it can be done.

My present form-tie plug subassembly obviates the aforementioned difl'iculties by permanently securing the inner washer in the recessed socket provided for the purpose on the inner end of the plug thereby permitting both the plug and washer so secured to be mounted on the tie shank as a unit. The plug itself is sized to slip easily through the tie slots while, at the same time, adequately plugging same against the egress of concrete therethrough. A tapered outer end on the plug guides it into the tie slot and centers it therein thus providing a self-centering feature. Finally, the plug is fastened in fixed position on the shank up snug against the stop by means of a jamnut recessed into a socket provided in the outer end.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved conical plug subassembly for concrete form ties of the type specifically adapted for use with gang forms.

A second objective of the invention herein disclosed and claimed is the provision of a plug subassembly permanently fastened to the shank of a form tie that will pass through the tie slots therein from the outside.

Another object is to provide a conical concrete form plug wherein the stop washer is permanently secured in place within the socket in the rear end of the plug to form a unitary subassembly.

Still another objective is the provision of a unit of the type aforementioned in which a jam-nut cooperates with the swaged stop on the tie shank to hold the plug in a fixed axial position.

An additional object is to provide a novel method for making up the plug subassembly and mounting same on the tie rod.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of a concrete form tie plug subassembly that is simple, inexpensive, easy to install, efficient, versatile, compact and adapted for use on several diiferent types and designs of gang form ties.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawings that follows, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross section showing a loopended rod-type gang form tie equipped with the plug subassemblies of the present invention fastened in place between a pair of gang form panels by means of tie end latch units;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary diametrical section to an enlarged scale showing one of the conical plugs, metal Washer and jam-nut mounted in place on the shank of the tie;

FIGURE 3 is a section along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 showing the shank, plug and jam-nut from the front;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the plug alone; and,

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the plug with the washer already secured therein, the jam-nut and shank in position for assembly.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the present invention and, initially, to FIGURE 1 for this purpose, reference numeral 10 has been employed to represent a gang form tie in a general way whereas reference numeral 12 similarly designates the plug subas semblies with which the tie shank 14 is equipped. The tie 10 is of conventional design and is intended to be merely representative of several such gang forming ties that can be used with the plug subassemblies of the present invention. As illustrated, the tie includes elongate shank 14 which has a pair of kinks 16 formed intermediate its ends to hold it more securely in the concrete and a couple of swaged stops 18 outboard of said kinks but spaced inwardly of the welded loops 20 on its extremities. These looped ends 20 project onto the outside face of spaced parallel form panels 22 that have circular tie slots 24 therethrough sized to pass the loops and, in addition, the plug subasseniblies 12 as will more fully appear presently. Fastened to the outer faces of the form panels are vertical 2 x 4 walers 26. Two such walers arranged in transverselyspaced parallel relation on opposite sides of each vertical row of tie slots are usually used although, for purposes of clarity, only one such waler has been shown. The looped end 20 of the tie, of course, extends into the gap left between the walers and slightly therebeyond into position to be engaged by the tie end latch mechanisms that have been indicated in a general way by numeral 28 and which form the subject matter of my copending application Ser. No. 583,248.

Other releasable tie end latches may, of course, be substituted for the one shown which is intended as being merely illustrative of the general type of structure employed for this purpose.

Now, with reference to both FIGURES 1 and 2, the plug subassembly 12 will be seen to comprise an inwardly-tapered frusto-conical plastic plug 30 having an axial opening 32 therethrough sized to receive the shank 14 of the tie. The blunt inner end of the plug contains a shallow cylinder socket 34 into which metal washer 36 is recessed. Washer 36 has an opening 38 therein aligned with the axial opening 32 in the plug and sized to pass the shank 14 but not the swaged stop 18. Thus, washer 36 cooperates with stop 18 to prevent the plug from moving inwardly along the shank in much the same way as washer 38 of my earlier application.

The maximum diameter of the plug 30 is slightly smaller than the diameter of tie slot 24 so the former will pass easily through the latter. Both the plug and tie slot must, of course, be somewhat larger than the loop 20 or other fastening means on the extremities of the tie for the same reason. Note also that the depth of socket 34 is some greater than the thickness of Washer 36 so that the rear end 38 of the plug extends therebeyond a slight amount. This projecting annulus 38 is preferably deformed by applying heat thereto once the washer is in place so as to curl inwardly over the edge of the washer and hold it more or less permanently in its socket. When this is done, the plug and washer can be slipped onto the shank of the form tie as a unitary subassembly prior to formation of the loops 20 on the ends thus simplifying the assembly and adapting same to automatic methods.

The outer end of the plug is chamfered to provide a short taper 40 in the opposite direction to the primary taper 42 that functions, upon entry into the tie slot 24, to both guide and center the plug therein as shown in FIGURE 1. The juncture 44 between the two oppositelyinclined tapers 40 and 42 is the maximum diameter of the plug and it, as shown in FIGURE 1, ends up just inside the tie slot where it effectively plugs same against the emergence of any appreciable amount of concrete.

Next, with reference to FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the outer end of the plug is also provided with a shallow cylindrical socket 46 bordering the central opening into which jam-nut 48 is pressed to hold the plug subassembly in fixed axial position on shank 14. The spring wings 50 of the jam-nut function in the usual manner to dig into the shank and prevent the plug and washer from sliding out toward the loop. Once the loops are removed from the ends of the tie, these nuts can be easily removed with a suitable tool from the exposed end of the tie shank so that the plug and washer can then be withdrawn from the concrete following removal of the form panels. To facilitate removal of the plug, a continuous annular groove 52 is provided in the outer end of the plug bordering the central opening 32 in radially-spaced relation. This annular groove 52 exposes a tubular projection 54 that can be grasped with a pair of pliers or other tool to facilitate removal of the plug from the poured concrete wall. Annulus 38 on the other end of the plug covers the edge of the Washer 36 and prevents the latter from becoming imbedded in the Wet concrete where it cannot be removed. The latter feature was, of course, present in the plug shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 of my earlier application.

Finally, the method of assembling the gang form tie assembly can best be described in connection with FIG- URE 5 to which reference will now be made. The washers 36 are first placed within the sockets 34 in the inner ends of the plugs and the projecting portions of the annulus heated by a suitable tool until they curl over slightly to hold the washer permanently in place. Then the plugwasher subassembly thus formed is passed as a unit onto the shank of the form tie until the washer abuts stop 18 thereof. Next, jam-nuts 50 are added to hold the plugs in fixed axial position. Finally, the loops 20 are formed and welded.

Having thus described the several useful and novel features of my plug subassembly and method of installing same for use on gang form ties, it will be apparent that the many worthwhile objectives for which it was designed have been achieved. While only a single specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in the accompanying drawings, I realize that certain changes and modifications therein may well occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teaching hereof; hence, it is my intention that the scope of protection afforded hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations are expressly set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A plug subassembly for use on concrete form ties of the type having latch-receiving means on opposite extremities thereof sized to pass through circular tie slots in the form walls and a shank portion intermediate the ends containing a pair of longitudinally-spaced integral stops, which comprises: an inwardly-tapered frustoconical plug having an axial opening therethrough sized to receive the shank portion of the tie before the latch-receiving means on the ends thereof are formed, said plug being sized to pass freely through the circular tie slots in the form walls while plugging same against the flow of concrete when located therein, said plug having a shallow cylindrical socket recessed in the inner end thereof arranged in concentric relation to the axial opening and an oppositely-tapered chamfered edge on the outer end adapted to guide and center same Within the tie slot; 21 flat metal washer containing a central opening sized to slip over the shank of the tie and engage the integral stop thereon, said washer being mounted in recessed position within the cylindrical socket in the inner end of the plug, and said washer being adapted to cooperate with the integral stop to prevent the plug from moving inward axially beyond said stop; and, spring fastener means having a central opening sized to receive the shank portion of the tie and frictionally engage same in abutting relation to the outer end of the plug, said fastener means and shank cooperating to hold the plug and washer tightly against the integral stop.

2. The plug subassembly as set forth in claim 1 in which: the outer end of the plug contains a shallow cylindrical socket sized and adapted to receive the spring fastener means in recessed relation.

3. The plug subassembly as set forth in claim 1 in which: the spring fastener means comprises a jam-nut.

4. The plug subassembly as set forth in claim 1 in which: the outer end of the plug contains an annular groove bordering the axial opening in radially-spaced relation thereto so as to produce a short integrally-formed tubular projection capable of being grasped by a pliertype tool for withdrawing said plug from a poured concrete wall.

5. The plug subassembly as set forth in claim 1 in which: the thickness of the metal washer is less than the depth of the cylindrical socket in the inner end of the plug so as to have an annular skirt projecting inwardly beyond said washer when seated in the socket, and in which said skirt is crimped over the edge of said washer to permanently retain the latter within the plug.

6. The plug subassembly as set forth in claim 4 in which: the outer end of the tubular projection is recessed behind the corresponding end of the plug to form a cylindrical socket with the annular groove sized to receive the fastener means in recessed relation.

7. The plug subassembly as set forth in claim 6 in which: the plug is fabricated from heat-softenable plastic,

and in which the overhanging skirt is crimped over the edge of the washer by heating same.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,370,174 2/1945 Kinninger 249217 X J. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner 10 D. W. JONES, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 2513l; 249213 

